When The Darkness Comes
by PopCornAddict16
Summary: What if Felicity saw Oliver and Sara that night in the Foundry? Felicity Smoak has been gone for TWO YEARS and when she comes back, Oliver notices the slight changes in her.What has happened between those two long years?Why is it that Oliver feels like she's hiding something big and Important& why is it that Slade suddenly disappears and came back to haunt him just as she returns?
1. Chapter 1

**When the Darkness Comes**

**Chapter One: Make my heart ache and shatter it into a million pieces...**

Felicity Smoak was lying on her bed and sighing with frustration. She looked at the digital clock in her nightstand and it showed that it was 3 am in bright red, mocking her and adding to her frustration. She stared at the ceiling of her room, thinking on how she could pass the time. Not coming up with anything, she grabbed her tablet from the top of her nightstand and removed it from its protective case and unlocked it. She inputted the password, _GreenLeather_, and opened the app that lets her see the surveillance videos in the foundry.

She heard the clanking of a metal rod and saw Oliver doing a round in the Salmon Ladder. _Knew he would be there._ Confirming her thought, she sat up from her bed, pulled the comforter off of her and swung her legs from the bed and letting her feet touch the cold wooden floor. She shivered and let her feet get accustomed to the floor before getting up and changing from her purple, fluffy pajamas with little cupcake designs all over them and to her hoodie with the words _MIT Batch of '09 _printed on the front and black leggings with rips on the knees. She pulled her messy blonde hair into a messy bun and went back to her closet to get some white no-show socks and her white converse. She sat on her bed and put the socks and shoes on, grabbed her phone and went out of her room. She walked down the stairs and went straight to the door. She grabbed her keys from the purple bowl that sat atop of a table she kept near the door. She went out and locked the door of her townhouse before heading towards the driveway where her red mini cooper was. She stuffed her hands in the pockets of her hoodie along with her phone and keys. When she reached her car, she grabbed her keys from her pockets and unlocked the red mini cooper, slid in, gracefully of course, shut the door and slid her car keys into the ignition and turned it so that it would start the engine. She felt the blast of cold air of the AC and turned it off, in turn turning on the heater and she felt the cold air be replaced by warm, comforting air that helped the coldness seep from her body from being outside.

She drove out of the drive way and headed to Verdant. She let herself relax at the quietness of the streets. When she finally arrived at her destination, she parked her car into one of the empty parking space near the alley way that led to the backdoor of Verdant. She grabbed her keys from the ignition and got out of her car. She locked the door and walked to the back while cautiously looking at her surroundings. You never know. Maybe a very drunk lunatic just might jump out from behind and grab her. Felicity shivered at the thought and quickly shook her head to dismiss the idea. When she finally reached the back entrance, she entered and she went straight to the door that led to the basement of Verdant.

As she was about to enter the pass code, Felicity suddenly felt nervous. Her instinct told her not to open the door. But her being Felicity Smoak, a hater of mysteries and surprises, she let her curiosity won out and entered the pass code that opened the door that led to the foundry. When she opened the door, she heard a few moans and groans and the distinct sound of clothes dropping. Felicity silently descended down the stairs and she suddenly remembered one of the lessons her father taught her before he up and left her and her mother. She remembered him saying to a five year old Felicity that _'You should always trust your instincts, Meg. Because when you can't trust anybody else, your instincts is the only one who can keep you safe and the only one you can trust to keep you out of harm's way and from getting hurt.'. _She remembered herself nodding and hanging on to every word her father had said_. _

She reached the bottom of the stairs and turned to where the training mats are, and she suddenly wished she had listened to her instincts and had not entered the foundry because what she saw made her chest ache and broke her fragile heart into a million pieces...


	2. Chapter 2

**When the Darkness Comes**

**Chapter Two: Reach in and rip my heart out…**

When Felicity told Oliver about Thea's paternity, he felt his whole world crumble. There is no way that can be true, but, then again, Felicity has never been wrong when it comes to these things. And the fact that Felicity told him the truth even though his mother threatened her of him hating her, spoke a lot of volumes. His only problem now was how was he supposed to keep all of that to himself without feeling guilty? Without him feeling like he was betraying Thea by not telling her the truth? He sighed to himself in the empty foundry. He heard the metal door that led to the foundry beep and open. He stood on guard if by chance that it was an intruder. When Sara's blond hair came into view, he relaxed. When he saw Sara's face full sorrow and sadness, he grew concerned. When she about a foot away from him, she started ranting about how Laurel hates her, and then before he knew it, he was kissing her. And in the back of his mind, he saw Felicity with tears in her eyes and betrayal written all over her face. '_But_,' he thought, '_this is better. This way, I can keep her at arm's length and keep her safe.' _So, them kissing led to them taking their clothes off. And while the two continued kissing, they didn't notice Felicity, standing by the foot of the stairs, looking at them with tears in her eyes and anguish and betrayal on her face.

Felicity silently ran up the stairs and closed the foundry door silently as tears ran down her face. She sobbed and hiccupped as she ran to her car and drove aimlessly on the street, her tears blurring her vision as she tightened her grip on the stirring wheel until her knuckles and fingers turned white. As she blinked, more tears ran down her face and her vision cleared enough to see a black SUV heading straight for her. The two cars clashed into each other and Felicity felt the airbag hit her face, and her last conscious thought was of Oliver and Sara, in the foundry as a man in a black Ski mask ripped her door open with one hand and reached in to grab her as she felt herself drift into the darkness.

The man in the ski mask cut her seat belt off and carried her over his shoulder as a man with an eye patch in his right eye and in a black Armani suit and a trench coat order him to put her at the back of the SUV and ordered the other men to hide her car.

The man looked at the back to look at Felicity as she drifted in and out of consciousness. He pulled out a syringe from the glove compartment and Felicity felt a needle sink in to her skin and she thought, '_God! I hate needles!'_ Before losing consciousness all together.

Felicity's eyes fluttered open as she took her surroundings in. She noticed that she was in a room with very dim lights and feeling a little bit more of the drowsiness slip away, she felt a needle in her arm. When she looked at her left arm, she saw an IV stuck in her arm and a blood bag half drained and she saw the blood flow through the IV line and into her blood stream. She panicked and tried to race her arm but met restriction. She looked at her wrist and saw that it was strapped to the arm rests of the chair she was sitting on. She tried to lift her legs but met the same as well. She looked around the room frantically and was about to shout for help when a door opened and a bright light seeped through the open door. She struggled against the restraints again. The man with the eye patch that she saw last before she lost consciousness in the back of an SUV, filled her line of vision.

She sunk back to the chair and cowered between her shoulders.

"Hello, Miss Smoak." Eye patch greeted and grinned menacingly at her. "I am Slade Wilson."

"Hello, Miss Smoak." Eye patch greeted and grinned menacingly at her. "I am Slade Wilson."

Felicity's eyes widened as she recognized the name and said with an incredulous tone, "You're from the island…"

"Yes, I am," Slade said. "I'm flattered that you know me."

"Oliver talked about you"

"He did?" He raised his eyebrow. "Well, I'm glad."

"What do you want from me?"

"I want to make Oliver Queen hurt the way he hurt me!" He growled at Felicity. "And that starts with me making you the monster he made me be."

Felicity let out a shrill scream and felt the drowsiness come back until she fell unconscious.

The next morning, Felicity gasped and shot up from the bed. She looked around her found that she was in her own room. _'It was just a dream," _she thought and released a relieved sigh. _'A really weird dream.' _She felt a tear run down her cheek and when she wiped her eye, she looked down at her hand and found blood. She looked down at her clothes and saw that it was the same clothes that she wore when she went to the foundry. She got out of bed and went to the bathroom attached to her room and looked at herself in the mirror. She found blood from her bottom eye lid all the way to her cheeks, like she cried blood. She grew panicked and gripped the sink really hard and suddenly the edges of the sink where she gripped it was crushed into dust.

'_It wasn't a dream. It really did happen.' _she thought as she looked down at her hands, covered with dust. "Nobody must ever know." She said to herself as fresh tears rolled down her face.

She sobbed to herself for at least an hour before she looked at the clock; it was already 9:30 am. She looked at her phone and saw a text from Diggle saying '_Where are you?'_ she thumbed the reply button of her phone and typed _'Just woke up. Can you give me a ride to QC?'_

Her phone vibrated and Diggle's reply popped up._ 'Sure! Be there in 30.' _

Twenty minutes later, Felicity was out of the shower and dressed in a black half sleeved button up blouse, a white, form fitting pencil skirt that was two inches above her knee and a leopard print, peep toed four inch stiletto. She finished her look with a grey cardigan that reached her mid thigh and pushed up the sleeves. She wore the pearl earrings she got for herself when she turned 24 and the white watch Diggle gave her for her birthday. She wore a light black eye shadow with little glitters in them that twinkled in the light, a liquid eye liner that was winged out, a light pink blush and a shiny dark red lipstick. She reached over the side of her vanity table and took her glasses but when she put them on, she realized she doesn't need them anymore because she can see and read clearly even with them off. _'Huh. Guess I don't need my HD anymore.' _ She let her hair tumble down her shoulders in their natural loose waves. Once satisfied with the way she looks, she grabbed her bag and tablet and went down the stairs to wait for Digg to pick her up.

Oliver Queen woke up to the sound of a metal clanking and he opened his eyes and saw Sara, already fully dressed, on the Salmon Ladder. He got up from the mattress and put on his boxers and pants that was on the ground.

"Hey," Sara greeted him as she got down from the top of the salmon ladder.

"Hey," He greeted back and smiled as he asked, "What time is it?"

"Its 6 in the morning."

"Huh," He said "Want to spar?"

"Sure."

"Where is he?" Isabel Rochev asked Felicity.

Felicity arrived at QC at 10:05 and when she got to the Executive's Floor, she saw that Oliver wasn't at his office. So when Diggle walked behind in behind her, she asked him the same question Isabel was asking her now.

"He said he was going to be late because of…" Felicity paused, trying to come up with an excuse for Oliver. _'Ugh! He SO owes me!' _"Family reasons."

"Well, he better get here in thirty minutes or we will start this meeting with or without him." With that being said, Isabel walked out of her office and into the conference room.

When Isabel was finally out of hearing range, she called Diggle at her office phone and told him to bring the car around and that they were going to the foundry.

"Why are we here, exactly?" Diggle asked as he parked the town car in front of Verdant.

"I tracked Oliver's phone here." Felicity answered as she got out of the car. She walked to the backdoor of Verdant and opened it. When she got to the foundry door, she punched in the code that opened the foundry door angrily with Diggle watching from behind her. The door that led to the foundry finally opened after Felicity's third attempt and she went down the stairs with Diggle following closely behind.

They finally reached the bottom of the stairs and what she saw angered her. Oliver and Sara flirting and giggling while sparring. She waited for a few moments for them to notice that she and Diggle were there before Diggle finally cleared his throat for them to finally notice that they were there.

"Felicity? Diggle? What are you two doing here?" Oliver asked them both while moving away from Sara.

Felicity looked at him with anger in her eyes and her hands on her hips as she asked in a cool voice, "Oliver, what time do you think it is?"

"8, 9:30?" Oliver answered. "Why are you asking me what time it is?"

"It's FREAKING 10:30, Oliver!" She shouted at him, using her loud voice, which Oliver, Diggle, and now Sara, as she looked shocked at the IT genius, were scared of. "You have 15 minutes to get ready for a meeting that started 15 minutes ago. And if you really want to keep your company afloat I suggest that you get your ass into the showers and get changed because you only have 5 minutes before we have to leave so I can discuss with you what the meeting is all about. Since I'm guessing you didn't read the packet I gave you about what was supposed to be discussed on the meeting. Cause the last time I checked we both have a job to do, and for us to keep both of our jobs, being late for meetings and playing hooky isn't gonna help you keep your family's company and fund your nightly activities!" She finished her rant that left her face red and let out a huff as she continued speaking. "Now," she paused to run her hands through her hair as she continued. "Can you please get showered and changed so we can get out of here?"

Oliver stared at her wide-eyed as he nodded and walked past her to the showers. She glanced at Sara for a brief second before she turned to face Diggle who just recovered from her fit and said, "I'm going to wait in the car." She sighed and went up to the stairs.

In a span of 5 minutes, Oliver was showered and in a business suit. Even if he was the Arrow, he was still afraid of Felicity. Especially, when she uses her loud voice, which was very rare. She briefed him on what was going to happen on the meeting and what the topic was.

After what seemed like hours of meetings, _Well_, he thought, _it was actually a lot of hours of meetings,_ and a ranting from Isabel about him being late, it was finally time for him to go the foundry and lose some steam.

When he walked out of his office, he went to the Executive's Elevator so he could meet Digg at the Underground Parking Lot. He reached the Bentley and Diggle was already waiting for him, leaning on the side of the car and finally stood up straight so he could get the door for Oliver.

They drove to the foundry in an awkward silence that none was willing to break. When they finally reached Verdant, Oliver let out a sigh of relief. They walked over to the back entrance and opened it, walked to the foundry door, and typed in the code. He walked down the stairs and was about to head over to Felicity when he noticed that she wasn't there.

"Where's Felicity?" He turned to ask Diggle.

He answered back with a shrug and said, "She said she needed some 'me time'," he motioned his fingers as quotation marks. "and asked me if I can drop off some burgers from Big Belly's." He pushed up his left sleeve to look at his watch. "And I'm going to do that right now."

He was halfway up the stairs when he stopped to look back at Oliver. "And don't bother sneaking into her apartment or coming over or even spying on her because you'll just make her more angry and pissed off at you." And with that, he left.


	3. Chapter 3

**When the Darkness Comes**

**Chapter Three: I hate to go, but I'd love to leave…**

John Diggle got to the town car he drove for the Queens and went to Big Belly Burgers to get burgers, fries, and a milkshake for him and Felicity. As he drove, he thought about what he saw in the foundry and worried about Felicity. He knew the girl had feelings for Oliver. It was easy to see, from the way she looked at him to the way she tends to worry about him on missions and the way she is the first one to reach him to tend to his wounds. He also knew that Oliver had feelings for her, too. That much was obvious. From the subtle, intimate touches to the way he always grows paranoid when he thought she was in danger. So he was confused at what he saw in the foundry. _Why were Sara and Oliver flirting with each other? Why didn't Felicity look surprised?_ He thought. Because the minute he saw them sparring, he looked straight to Felicity's face and saw disappointment. But the most obvious emotions were rage and hurt. It was flowing off of her all day. Just by looking at her, he saw the tension in her body and a very dark aura surrounding her in ways that if you just look at her, you would think that she would snap your head off. He never saw Felicity like that before. _How would Felicity react to this? _He asked himself. _How will this change the dynamic of the team? _But the most important question he had in his mind was _how will Felicity cope with this?_

He still had to talk to Oliver about what happened the night before, but, right now, his favorite IT Girl, the one he treats like a little sister, needs him. While he was mulling over his thoughts, he nearly passed through Big Belly's but luckily turned just in time.

_'Urgghhh' _Felicity thought, _'I hate this thing, I feel hot all over. And not in a good way!' _She sighed and went to her kitchen to grab a bottle of water as she waited for Digg with burgers. _'__At least__ I haven't gone batshit crazy!' _As that thought popped up in her head, she wondered _**why**_she haven't gone insane with rage, because from what she gathered, the Mirakuru did stuff to you physically _**and**_mentally. _'Maybe I'm much __saner__ than the average person. It certainly seems that way, especially with what I had to grow up with and my nighttime __activities.'_ As she thought that, Roy's face suddenly popped up in her head. _'But then again, Roy has had a worse childhood that I did, and he nearly went insane! Like a crazy dude ready to wreck havoc! Huh. Maybe I'm just really sane.' _As that thought crossed her mind, she went back to her navy blue couch and sat crossed legged on it as she shrugged each shoulder up and down, suddenly over-exceedingly happy, then just as the happiness crossed her face, her mood suddenly dropped as she told herself in her mind, _'I have got to stop this mood swings, I mean, seriously, how can somebody stand to be so mercurial! Oh no! Maybe I am going __insane;__ I'm having a debate with myself in my head! Aaaah! I am going crazy! Just in a different way!' _She gripped her and leaned her elbows on her knees when she suddenly realized something_. 'Wait, I'm having a debate with myself in my head? That's normal.' _She lets out a frustrated sigh and drops her head in her open palms. _'I have got to stop doing that!' _She lets out another sigh before leaning back on her couch.

As she leaned her head back and closed her eyes, she sees the image of Oliver and Sara the night before in the foundry. She suddenly felt a surge of rage as her mood had gone south. She reached over to her coffee table and grabbed the fruit bowl on top of it and dumped all its contents, grape fruits made of wax, and was about to throw it at the flat screen LED TV when her doorbell rang. She raced a slim eyebrow and put the bowl back to its proper place before she got up to answer the door.

She reached her front door and looked through the peep hole and saw Diggle standing there holding a paper bag from Big Belly Burgers. She opened the door for him as he dropped her raised arm that was holding the bat she took from her umbrella stand before she looked through the peep hole.

"Really?" Diggle asked as he looked down at the bat she was holding.

"What?"

He answered with a shrug and entered her townhouse. Felicity placed the bat back to the umbrella stand and followed Digg to the living room where he was about to sit on the couch when he was the coffee table was a mess with the wax grape fruit strewn around the table and some on the carpet.

"What-" Diggle was about to say but Felicity cut him off.

"I threw a temper tantrum like a three year old." Felicity simply said as she sat down on the couch crossed legged and cleared the table and placed the grape fruits back in the bowl. "So," She said as she rubbed her palms together, "You got me my Belly Burgers Regular?"

"Yup," Diggle replied as he took the contents of the paper bag out. "Two half pound cheese burgers with bacon strips and extra cheese and chocolate milkshakes with whip cream and cherry on top and some chunky, crispy French fries!"

"Oooohhhh! That looks mouth watering!"Felicity grabbed her burger and milkshake and started eating.

John did the same and after taking a few bites he asked Felicity; "So, Why did you ask me to come here and bring over some take out?"

"Eat first, talk later" Felicity answered with her mouth full. Diggle chuckled and took another bite of his burger.

Oliver never got the chance to explain to Felicity what she saw in the Foundry early in the day. And he doesn't really know what he and Sara were, were day together or was it just a time thing. When he decided to sleep with Sara, he didn't think about the consequences or what would happen after. He sighed to himself as he thought of Felicity's face. He saw anger, disappointment and hurt in her eyes that morning.

As he was contemplating on whether to do the salmon ladder or beat up a dummy till it's destroyed, he heard the foundry door opening and he looked at the stairs and saw Sara, standing there, looking at him. She made her way to him and grabbed his neck to pull him down for a kiss. He didn't resist her. He had been lonely these last couples of months and Sara was there, just like him, she knows all his dark sides, and it was just easy, she was safe. So he decided to give it a try with Sara, knowing he was hurting Felicity in the process. _'It's for her own good.'_

Felicity and John finally finished their burgers and just as Diggle was about to ask what this was all about, Felicity suddenly spoke.

"I'm quitting the team and QC." She said in a really fast way that Diggle didn't understand a word she said.

"What?"

"I said I'm quitting the team and QC." Felicity said in a much slower pace and Diggle chocked on his milkshake.

"WHAT?!"


	4. Chapter 4

**When the Darkness Comes**

**Chapter Four: I gotta go my own way, I hope you understand…**

"WHAT?!"

"I said I'm-"

"No. I heard what you said." Diggle said.

"Then why did you shout, 'WHAT?!'" Felicity asked as she tried to mimic Diggle's voice unsuccessfully.

"I just don't understand."

"What part didn't you understand?"

"The part about you leaving." Digg explained

"Oh"

"Care to explain why you had this sudden feeling to flee?"

"Because being here, in this city, near Oliver, is hurting too much." _That, and the fact that every time I see him I feel like I wanna snap his head off. Literally. _"That, and I saw Sara and Oliver in the foundry last night, Half naked, in the training mats, kissing. I'm guessing you can figure out what happened next."

"Oh. So that was what it was all about." Diggle said finally understanding what he saw that morning. "But I thought there was something between you and Oliver."

"What are you talking about?"

"Well, I just noticed a few things."

"Care to elaborate?"

"Everybody could see it Felicity."

"See what?" She asked with frustration.

"See that there's something special there."

"Well," Felicity said as she straightened her back. "There is _nothing_ special. Just two close friends. That's all."

"Oh, will you stop down playing your relationship with Oliver." Diggle said with equal frustration.

"I'm not down playing anything. There is _nothing _between me and Oliver and there never will be." Felicity stood up and started cleaning up and gathering the take-out containers. "Besides, He's with Sara now."

"You really believe that he and she are together?"

"You saw what I saw at the foundry."

"It could have been a one night thing."

"You're joking, right?"

Digg didn't answer and just sighed. "So, what are you going to do now? I mean, have you even thought this through?"

"Digg, you know me, I don't think things half way. And to answer your question, Yes, I have. I've been thinking about it all day. Wayne Tech is still trying to hire me, even offered me the job as their head of Applied Sciences the last time they tried to recruit me, which was about a week ago. Even gave me a very convincing argument."

"Does Oliver know that Wayne has been trying to hire you?"

"No. But I'm sure Isabel does."

"And what convincing argument did they give you?"

"They said that my skills have been rotting in QC, which I kinda agree with. I didn't graduate MIT with flying colors and Summa Cum Laude just to be Oliver's EA."

"I guess you're right. So, when are you going to leave?"

"Next week."

"I'm really gonna miss you."

"I'll miss you, too" Felicity said as she hugged Diggle. "You're like a big brother to me."

"Do you need help moving?"

"Yeah, I do."

"Okay."

The day after Felicity told Diggle that she was moving, things were a bit tense between Diggle and Oliver. Felicity could feel the tension so thick you could cut it with a knife. She just sighed and observed the two of them, and as she did that, she could see the judgemental glances Diggle sends Oliver and Oliver just looks at Diggle with curiousity.

She sighed again and stood up to walk away from her desk to the glass windows, and as she stared out the window that overlooked half the city, she thought about how she would miss Starling, it had become her home for the past 5 years. She had been through a lot in this city, and as she thought about it, she started to doubt her decision to leave , but, as she turned around to look at Oliver through the glass walls, she made up her mind...


	5. Chapter 5

**When the Darkness Comes**

**Chapter Five: I'm sorry, but I've had enough...**

"I'm leaving."

Oliver looked up at Felicity as she stood in front of his desk. "Haha. Very funny, Felicity." He said.

"I'm being _**serious, **_Oliver." Felicity replied as she clenched her fists really tihht that her knuckles turned white.

"What?" Oliver looked at her at confusion as he tried to process what she said.

"I said I'm leaving, Oliver. For good."

"What are you talking about? You can't leave. We need you here."

"I know you do, and I'm sorry for that. It's just that, I need to find myself again. My world revolved around you, the Arrow and the mission for 2 years that I set aside all my needs and wants and my _life, _for you and the mission. And I just can't do that anymore. I have to love myself for once, put myself first."

"Can't you just find yourself here?!"

"I can't. I'm sorry."

"Now you're just being selfish."

Felicity's eyes widened at Oliver's accusation. "I'm being selfish?! Me?!" Her voice laced with disbelief. She can't believe he would say that to her. After everything they've been through**. **"I gave up my life, my dreams for you and your crusade and you're calling me selfish?!"

"Yes. You know we need you here and you're leaving, just like that? You just have to 'find yourself' right when there's a mad man out there threatening to destroy the city and everyone I love?!" Oliver said in a loud voice. "Is this about Sara? Are you jealous of her?"

"Whoa. WHAT?!"

"Admit it, Felicity. After Sara arrived, you have been different."

"I'm surprised you even noticed. And FYI, this isn't about you or your little sexcapade with dear, old Sara Lance. This is about me, and me prtecting myself from you!"

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"You remember Russia, right? The whole 'I can't be with anyone I could care about?'. Well, you know what? Fuck You, Oliver. You knew exactly that I had feelings for you and then you go and do what? Sleep with Sara after you said that to me. Can't be with someone you could really care about? Huh. That's a load of bull! Because if you can't be with someone you could care about, you wouldn't be with her, and if you really care about me, if you really are my friend, you'd let me go, because being around you, is hurting too much. Can't you see that? Or are you just that oblivious? Stuck in your own little dark world?"

Oliver didn't answer and avoided making eye contact with her.

"Whatever. I'm taking the day off. I already sent my resignation letter to HR. You will receive it tomorrow."

Oliver still didn't look at her, and just nodded at her. She turned around and started walking to the glass doors. As she was walking, she felt Oliver's gaze on her. When she got to the doors, she turned around to look at Oliver one more time before turning back around to open the door and left without another word...

-PAGEBREAK-

Oliver stared through the doors to Felicity's empty desk. He can't believe Felicity is leaving. As Oliver got over the shock of what was happening, he sat back down in his desk chair and looked out the windows, in to the sky as he tried to make sense of it all. What went so wring that his favorite IT girl would leave the team? As he thought this, he stood up again, grabbed a stapler and threw it across the room, breaking a glass wall in the process. He sighed and started walking around the room. He heard the the door open and saw Diggle standing there with a look of understanding and disappointment in his face.

-PAGEBREAK-

As Diggle drove Oliver to Queen Mansion, he noticed the distant look on the younger man's face. He wondered if Felicity told him about her plans to leave.

"A penny for your thoughts?" The older man said.

"Felicity's leaving." Oliver said after a few moments of silence. When Diggle didn't answer or react to his words, he realized that he already knew. "She told you. When?"

When the older man still didn't respond, Oliver leaned forward in the backseat and ground out, "When, Diggle?"

"She told me last night."

"And you didn't think about giving me a heads-up?"

"It was her secret to tell, not mine. And she asked me not to tell you, that she wanted to do it on herself."

"Did she tell you why she was leaving?"

"Yes. And as much as I oppose to it, I think you should let her."

Oliver just leaned back in the seat, sighed and took Diggle's words under advisement.

-PAGEBREAK-

Felicity arrived at her apartment after leaving QC and as she unlocked the door, she felt her insticts kick in and she noticed that something was very wrong. She dropped her bag by the door and removed her shoes and held it out in front of her so she could use it as a weapon. When she moved her gaze around her apartment, she saw a figure sitting at her couch, facing the door with his back at the window, the moon light casting a shadow on his face. As she was just about to turn around and make a run for it, her door suddenly closed and another figure appeared in front of the closed door, and another at her kitchen. She breathed deeply, trying not to let the panic boiling in her chest overcome her mind. She looked around trying to find a way out. With no escape route available, the only thing left to do was throw her shoes at the figures standing by her door and at the other one standing by her kitchen and she sprinted past the couch when she felt arms wrapped around her waist.

Suddenly the lights were on inside her apartment and when the one that grabbed her finally set her down, she turned around to face her intruders, only to feel shocked at who she saw...


	6. Chapter 6

**When the Darkness Comes**

**Chapter Six**

Felicity kept gawking at her _'visitors', _or if she could even call them that, as they sent a smirk at her way. She threw the right shoe at the person that was sitting at the couch previously who was now standing up and it flew past him, barely missing his face, and through the window.

"Great! Now I have to get the window fixed." Felicity said with a heavy sigh as she inspected the broken glass. "And you!" She quickly whirled around to face the man she threw the stiletto shoe at, Slade Wilson, and poked his chest with the heel of the left shoe she was holding. "You have the audacity to break into my house after what you did to me?"

"After what I did to you?"Slade said as he pretended to look offended at Felicity's words. "Why, Miss Smoak," he continued. "I only gave you the means to get what you want."

"And what is it that I want?" Felicity asked with a hint of sarcasm and curiosity in her voice as she waved the other shoe around.

"Revenge on Oliver Queen."

_ÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑ__Arrow__ÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒ_

_µ__The Following day…_

Felicity stood in front of Queens Consolidated. She breathed in and released a heavy sigh. She made her way to the entrance of the building and made her way through reception to the elevator. Over the silence inside the elevator, she mulled over what she was going to say to Oliver when they see each other at his office. When she finally reached the executives floor, she got out of the elevator and entered her office to pack her things. When she noticed he wasn't there, She placed the box she was carrying on top of her desk and looked at her table. She sighed again and started packing her stuff. Picture frames, pens and pencils, notebooks, etc., and as she was packing she heard the glass doors open and saw Isabel Rochev walking with her head up high as if they were all beneath her. She sighed again, and this time out of frustration as the literal Devil wears Prada stopped in front of her desk with a condescending smirk on her face.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here?" Isabel said as she looked at Felicity and the box she was packing. "Did Oliver finally realize what an incompetent assistant you are and fired you?"

"I quit, actually." Felicity replied, not looking at Isabel.

"Really?" Isabel replied with curiosity and shock coloring her tone. "I thought you were attached to the hip with Oliver?"

"Not anymore, apparently"

"Ooh, did you two have a Lovers' Quarrel?"

"We wouldn't be having a Lovers' Quarrel if we aren't a couple, now would we?" She finally looked up to look at Isabel and rested her elbow on the edge of the open box.

"Deny it all you want. But everybody knows what's happening behind closed doors between you and Oliver. And the rumors rarely lie. Especially when it comes to you two"

"And who do you think started those rumors?" Felicity asked and looked knowingly at Isabel as she started packing again.

"Are you suggesting that I started those rumors?" Isabel inquired, pretending to be offended with a hand on her chest. She let out an exaggerated gasp and continued talking. "I'm offended by that."

"Whatever." Felicity stated dismissively and put the lid back on the box since she already finished packing her things. She rounded the table and walked to the door. She held the box in one hand and opened one of the double glass doors with the other. Before she completely stepped out of her office, she turned around to look at Isabel once more and opened her mouth and said; "It was NOT a pleasure working with you, Miss Rochev." She left the office with a smirk on her face, leaving a gaping Isabel standing in her former office.

_ÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑ__Arrow__ÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒ_

Felicity left the building with the box in one hand while digging for her car keys from her pocket in the other. She finally got her fingers around the keys when she looked up and saw Oliver and Sara by the town car with Diggle at the drivers' seat in front of QC. She saw Oliver and Sara kiss goodbye and her nerves flared up. _'How dare they?' _she thought to herself.

Barely able to contain her anger, Felicity started stomping away with steam coming out of her ears. She reached her rental car around the corner and put the box on the passenger seat. She rounded the car and got in the drivers' seat. After a beat, she jammed her keys into the ignition and turned on the engine; she put her hand on the wheel and started gripping. Before she could destroy the steering wheel, she took deep, calming breaths through her nose before exhaling slowly through her mouth. Once she calmed herself, she drove to an abandoned building in the glades. There were papers scattered all over what looked to be the lobby. She made her way through the emergency stairs and climbed up to the forth floor. When she entered the door that lead to the hallway, she saw two of Slade's goons waiting for her. They escorted her to what looked to be a conference room and there stood Slade, looking at her expectantly.

He smiled at her and said, "Hello, Miss Smoak-"

"I'm in." Felicity said with a straight face and a neutral tone as she cut off Slade and looked him straight in the eyes. "When do I start?" She inquires while crossing her arms.

"Now." Slade looked at Felicity with triumph coloring his face as he saw anger, jealousy and hate in Felicity's eyes.

_ÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑ__Arrow__ÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒ_

∞∞□◁◆▶□● ∞∞_The night before..._

"What?!"

"I know about Oliver and Sara." Slade said matter-of-factly. "I know that they betrayed your trust." He continued as he walked closer to her. "In your sanctuary, no less. In your home, where you feel safe the most." He started circling her as she looked at the ground with an incredilous look. "They took your feelings and threw it in your face." He was playing mind games with her, Felicity knew that, but she was starting to believe him. Besides, he had a point. He was messing with her head and she was letting him. "And Oliver, he knew about your feelings, they both did, and they didn't care enough to do the deed somewhere else, they did it in the place where you have an easy access to."

"How do you know?" She looked up and stared Slade down. "How do you know about Oliver amd Sara? About what I feel for Oliver?"

"That's a secret."

"How do you expect me trust you when I don't know where you got all of that from."

"How do I know you won't go ratting me out to Oliver?"

"Touché."

He smirked at her and said, "I only need three things from you, Miss Smoak."

"And what are those?"

"Your Cooperation, Loyalty and skills."

"Will you train me on how to control myself from smashing everything in my way and train me how to fight?"

"Of Course."

"I'll think about it."

Slade looked at her with Victory in his eyes. "You have until 12 noon tomorrow to give me an amswer."

And with that he left. Leaving Felicity to her own thoughts and Slade's offer.

_ÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑ__Arrow__ÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒ_

∞∞_Present time..._

That night, Feeling like a nervous wreck, Felicity entered the foundry slowly, her heels clicking on the metal stairs. She made it to the bottom of the stairs and saw Oliver, Diggle and Sara sparring while Roy watched from the sidelines. She made her way to her chair and sat there to do her thing when Oliver came closer to her.

"Put that towel on this table and I will beat you senseless." Felicity warned while still looking at the monitors of her set up.

"And I actually believe you will." Oliver replied and slung his towel on his shoulder. "So, how have you been?" Oliver asked with a hint of concern in his voice that made Felicity look up from her monitors into his eyes. "You'be kinda been distant."

"I'm fine, Oliver. Just stressed."

"Oh, okay. If you need the time off-"

"Oliver! I'm fine."

"If you say so." Oliver said, not entirely convinced. "So, how's the moving coming along?"

"Good, actually." Felicity replied. "I'm already having movers send my stuff to Gotham tomorrow."

"Are you really in that much of a hurry to leave us?"

"Do you really want an honest answer to that?"

"Yes, in fact I do."

"Fine!" Felicity shouted as she stood up directly in front of Oliver. "Yes, I am in that much of a hurry to leave Starling. You know why? To get away from you!" She shouted as she poked his chest with her finger. "You are drivng me crazy, Oliver! You keep hurting me. I know that you know that you're hurting me. Don't try denying it."

Oliver listened to her rant while the others just stood by the training mats, looking and listening in on their conversation.

"I have always been there for you. And I'm not saying that you aren't there for me, but Frack, Oliver. Do you even notice that I'm here? That I have risked a lot for you and this crusade of yours?! Not only that, you ruined what was possibly a real, good, no lying relationship I could have had. But you just had to step in and ruin that, too. Now the guy was struck by lightning and is in a coma!"

"Well, it's not my fault that the guy had a hidden agenda of why he was here!"

"And he may have told me if you have just given him a chance!"

"Is this what this is about? Barry?!" Oliver asked, face to face with Felicity.

"You ruined a lot of things for me, Oliver. My possibility of a promotion, my dream job of being in IT. And don't tell me that being your EA is a promotion because its not. It's a demotion!"

"You know why I had to do it!"

"Yes! For your own personal benefit!"

"If it weren't for me, you'd still be in your pathetic, little hidey hole, living a boring life. It's because of me that you actually have a purpose on this planet!" As Oliver said that, he instantly regretted it as he saw the look in Felicity's face. The look of hurt and shock colored her face as she stared at him. Like she couldn't believe he just said that.

"Fuck you, Oliver Queen." Felicity said with her head down, her fists shaking at her side where they were tightly clenched, her knuckles turning white.

"Felicity, I'm-"

"Fuck you," Felicity cutted off his apology and looked up at him, with pure hatred and anger in her eyes. "I hope you rot in hell. You deserve it." Felicity then grabbed her coat and bag from the table where her comouters were set up. She ran up the stairs without looking back, while Oliver stood frozen where he stood, shocked at himself.

_ÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑ__Arrow__ÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒ_

Oliver stood frozen as he thought of what he said. How did everything lead to this? He said something he shouldn't have and it pushed Felicity further away, the only person who convinced him that there was another way. He sighed and looked at the team. Diggle was looking at him with disappointment, Roy was looking at him in shock and Sara just looked at him with guilt and sympathy.

"Oliver-" Diggle started.

"I know, I know! I messed up." Oliver cutted him off.

"Oh, you did. Big time." Roy said.

Oliver glared at him.

"Okay, before we continue this conversation about what just happened," Sara entered the conversation. "He was struck by lightning?"

"Yup." Roy replied.

"And he's in a coma?"

"Right again. Lucky the guy didn't get burned to crisp."

"I should go talk to her." Oliver abruptly stated as he stood up to get showered and changed.

"I think you shouldn't." Diggle replied.

"What?"

"I think you should just let her cool down before you do more damage."

"More damage? Diggle, she is leaving town. What more damage could I cause?"

"You could drive her away forever! And if she leaves and never returns to us again, that is all on you and you have to live with it." And with that, Diggke left the foundry with Roy following him.

"Ollie, I am so sor-" Sara said.

"Sara, Just- Just don't." Oliver turned his back to Sara and got his change of clothes and headed to the showers.

_ÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑ__Arrow__ÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒÒ_

Unbeknownst to them, Felicity was already at the airport with all of her stuff packed into the cargo with Slade waiting at the open door of the plane...


End file.
